


When the Light Goes Out

by Capucine



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Under the Red Hood
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Blood, Child Death, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-14
Updated: 2016-02-14
Packaged: 2018-05-20 09:37:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6001126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Capucine/pseuds/Capucine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jason is the only person around when Tim is shot in the throat.</p>
<p>That's not the kind of wound you survive.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When the Light Goes Out

**Author's Note:**

> Definite downer. Can't sleep, so, naturally...

He was choking.

Tim wasn't breathing, not really, not more so than breathing in blood and _goddamnit why was no one here_ \--

Jason cut off his thought as he dropped by the Robin, the shot in his throat sticky with blood, messy, _everywhere_ and Jason knew that was a kill shot. Not instant, but soon.

He peeled off Tim's mask, while stopping up the blood as best as he could. He could see terrified blue eyes turn on him, the panicked _I can't breathe_ on his face, not even questioning why Jason, the Red Hood, was here.

Because Jason was not on good terms with pretty much anyone in their 'family.'

Because Jason was pit mad, was plotting revenge.

And god, Jason wasn't just those things.

"Hey," he managed, slipping off his own helmet, mask. His heart sat heavy in his chest, wanting to ignite, wanting to rage that _another_ Robin was about to die alone under Batman's watch or lack thereof.

Well, not alone. Not if he could help it.

Tim gasps were barely that, mostly a gurgle of liquid, and the tears streaking down his face were enough to inspire tears in Jason's own eyes.

God. _God._

"I need your comm," he explained, taking the earpiece. It was different, and he had to figure it out with one hand--because Tim deserved to see his family. What Jason didn't get.

Jason thought he might throw up.

"Hey. Get the fuck over here. _Now._ "

The announcement was over all their goddamn frequencies, heard by every bat--however few there were. Maybe Dick. Bruce. Probably Babs. Maybe Alfred.

Tim deserved to have _Alfred_ here, the old man would take care of him--that was one face that Jason had desperately--

No. Focus. All Tim had right now was Jason, and god, he couldn't let the kid die that frightened.

He gently pushed away his tears with his thumb, with his free hand. "Hey kid. It's okay. It's okay."

It really, really wasn't, but who the fuck would tell the kid that? He wasn't promising he would live, he was just...soothing. He didn't deserve to go out in terror.

Fuck. 

Tim's eyes were wide, panicked, a kind of pleading in them, and goddamnit, Jason was going to fucking kill Bruce for this...

"Hey kiddo," Jason said, switching to an even gentler tone, the kind reserved for child victims. His hand was sticky with Tim's blood as he tried to keep it inside. "Hey. I'm here. You're not alone."

Tim seemed like he would sob if he could. One of his hands reached up, managed to hook around Jason's wrist--Jason gently unhooked the shaking fingers, and grasped them tightly with the hand not stopping up the blood.

"Hey. Hey. They'll be here soon." Jason thought he might, maybe, be promising too much--but fuck, it wasn't like that was asking much. He said, on all frequencies once again, "Hey. Get your fucking asses over here."

Tim's lips were moving, and his blue eyes were definitely getting dimmer. They were searching Jason's eyes for something.

And Jason knew what.

Humanity. The hope that he wasn't dying alone, death unmarked. That someone would remember, at least.

And goddamnit, Jason would have--No. Focus on Tim.

He had to prolong his life as much as he could--Tim deserved to see his family, as shit as they were. Cause Jason wasn't kidding himself--Tim wasn't going to make it. There was no hail mary pass that was going to save him. He'd lost too much blood. He was losing oxygen fast. The shock would be enough to kill most people.

And they weren't fucking here.

Jason gave that humanity. He'd done it before, though not with people he knew. "I know you're scared, but it's going to be okay. It's...it's not as scary as it seems. It's only the before part that's scary."

He had the faintest of memories, regarding being dead. Extremely faint, at times--but he remembered being happy. More than happy. Like a glow filled him inside out.

He didn't honestly know if his brain had made it up. He thought that might be impossible.

Tim seemed to accept this, and a sort of resigned look crossed his face.

He was about to die. Jason had no doubt, knew that look, knew that feeling. And he thought he might throw up, but instead, he leaned over, pressed a kiss to Tim's forehead, lifted up his bloody hand and pushed back his hair. "You're going to be all right. I promise. It's...much better than here. I swear."

He choked a little on that, and could have broken down, but Tim really didn't need that. 

Tim's eyes blinked slowly, where he'd been fighting to live before. And then they blinked shut, like he was going to sleep.

Instinctively, Jason made a cross on his forehead with his thumb, then crossed himself. He didn't know if God cared about that, but fuck, he didn't know what else to do.

A small shudder went through Tim's body.

And then he was gone.

Jason stayed with the body, kind of numbly. He at least put Tim's hands folded just below his chest. He almost couldn't believe how fast it had been (but then, they'd hit probably the jugular, that was a ridiculously fast bleeder) and that the skinny boy next to him was gone.

He'd seen so many bodies in his life. And he would have to see more, he was sure.

The emotions suddenly clicked back on when Batman stepped into the alley. Rage overtook Jason, and he screamed at Bruce wordlessly, firing at him haphazardly. 

"Fuck you! _Fuck you!_ You never fucking goddamn learn, fuck you!" Jason roared at him.

Bruce was pale, shocked, but Jason didn't give a fuck.

"Next time you so much as look at a goddamn orphan, you hear me, at any kid _at all_ , I'm gonna fucking come in there and fucking shoot you in the dick--and then shoot your goddamn head off! Fuck you!"

And he ran. He ran before he could see Bruce's reaction, or before he could get a word in.

He should have killed him. He should have killed him for getting another kid killed.

But fuck. He just couldn't.

And so he went out and tore through a crime-riddled section of Gotham, one with illegal trafficking and drug labs and so on. Filth of the earth. Scum. People who deserved to die.

Not Tim. If Jason could trade a thousand of these pieces of shit for Tim, he would do it.

The papers announced the streets running red the next day.

Jason only saw the headline, and, not sure which it was referring to, laughed himself to the point of throwing up and sobbing.

He hoped there would never be another Robin. 

Because if there was, he _would_ carry through.

**Author's Note:**

> I dunno. It just needed to be written, I guess. I hope you liked it?


End file.
